8 cool no-carve pumpkins you can use every year

No need to carve, when you can use creative ideas like these.
(Photo: 17 Apart / Yesterday on Tuesday / House of Joyful Noise)

It’s inevitable; a day or two after you carve your pumpkin, icky mold starts to grow in it and you have to throw your masterpiece away. This
year, instead of tossing something else into the landfill (unless you compost it, of course), buy yourself a plastic pumpkin from the craft store and
decorate it. When Halloween is over, pack it up and pull it out again next year. Here are several DIY no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas (from spooky to chic) to spark your creativity.

To make this cool design, from House of Joyful Noise, prime your pumpkin with words like “Boo” made from painter’s tape or adhesive vinyl. Then pour black paint on top so it has a dripping effect over the pumpkin. When dry, peel off the letters.

2. Frankenstein Pumpkin

Photo: Yesterday on Tuesday

This design from Yesterday on Tuesday is perfect to make with a younger child. Paint your faux pumpkin green. Cut out shapes from duct tape and let your kid stick ‘em on.

3. Decoupage Your Pumpkin

Photo: Fresh American Style

Cut snowflake-light designs from different colored tissue paper. Brush Mod Podge onto your pumpkin and place your designs on top. Once in place,lightly brush another layer of Mod Podge over the tissue paper. It’s an easy idea from
Fresh
American Style
. Want something spookier? Cut bat or ghost shapes out of the tissue paper instead.

4. Bat Pumpkin

Photo: It All Started With Paint

This is such an easy project from It
All Started With Paint. Cut bat shapes from poster board or cardstock and adhere them to the pumpkin with a no-mess glue dot.

5. Gold Tack Pumpkins

Photo: Madigan Made

Add warmth to your holiday décor by adding gold touches with this idea from Madigan Made . First you spray paint your faux pumpkins gold just in case the tacks
don’t cover them completely. Then stick your tacks into the pumpkins.

6. Brightly Painted Pumpkins

Photo: Handmade Charlotte

Use stencils and bright colored paint to give your pumpkins a fresh look with this project from Handmade Charlotte. Who says Halloween has to just be orange and black?

7. Glam Pumpkins

Photo: Erika Brechtel

Paint your pumpkins a muted or dark color and the add rhinestone or studded adhesive stickers. You’ll never carve a pumpkin again after this cool idea from Erika Brechtel.

8. Gold Doily Pumpkins

Photo: 17 Apart

Update your grandma’s style in a hipster fashion with this craft from 17
Apart. Use spray adhesive to glue on a gold doily to your pumpkin. For best results, layer the doilies.